This invention relates to the field of food receptacles and, in particular, to steam table pans.
Steam tables, salad bars, and similar arrangements are often used in commercial establishments to serve multiple portions of food one portion at a time. Steam tables in particular generally include a large planar surface with holes to receive the serving pans. Hot water below the pans is generally used to keep the food in the pans hot. A flange or horizontal lip extending from the pan prevents the pan from falling through the hole and often forms a steam seal around the hole.
In addition to performing as serving pans, steam table pans and the like may operate as food storage containers. In this case, the pan may not only hold the food in the heated environment of the steam table, but in a refrigerated environment as well. Additionally, these pans are frequently used to transfer food from point to point, such as from a refrigerator unit to a stove or steam table.
Traditional steam table pans are constructed from relatively thin stainless steel. The lip protruding from the pan is generally a simple flat, planar edge that is substantially flat against the steam table. This arrangement often makes it difficult and cumbersome to remove the pan from the steam table. Additionally, when placing the pan into the steam table hole, it is difficult to gently place the pan in the hole. Usually, the pan must free fall a short distance before resting flush against the steam table, which may cause the food to spill from the pan.
Therefore, what is needed is a steam table pan that can conveniently fit alongside other pans on a steam table and is easily moved. A pan that is easily removed from and placed into holes in the steam table is also needed. A pan that fits alongside other ceramic pans and is aesthetically pleasing is also needed.
Ceramics, such as porcelain, may be used instead of stainless steel to make the steam table pans. Ceramic pans are easier to place into and remove from holes in the steam table, and can easily handle the transfer from cold to hot environments. Additionally, these pans can be more aesthetically pleasing than stainless steel and are easy to clean. However, the ceramic pans are generally bulky. Due to the size of the overhanging lips, ceramic pans frequently do not fit side by side on a steam table.
The present invention is a ceramic steam table pan. As with traditional stainless steel steam table pans, the ceramic pan includes a lip to prevent the pan from falling through the hole in the steam table. An upper flange is located along one side of the pan, while a lower flange is included along the side opposite the upper flange. The flanges form a portion of the lip and protrude out from the lip.
The upper and lower flanges are dimensioned to interconnect with each other. That is, the lower flange of a first ceramic steam table pan will connect with the upper flange of a second ceramic steam table pan, and the upper flange of a third ceramic steam table pan will rest on the second pan""s lower flange. This arrangement allows the ceramic pans to lay side by side and present a flush surface when being used with a standard steam table despite being somewhat bulkier than the substantially flat stainless steel pan lips. In addition, as the flanges are not all flat against the surface of the steam table, removing the pans from the holes in the steam table is easier than removing the flush stainless steel pans.
Therefore, it is an aspect of this invention to provide a steam table pan made of ceramic.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide a steam table pan that is easily cleaned.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a ceramic steam table pan that fits on a steam table alongside additional ceramic pans.
It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide a ceramic steam table pan including flanges to interconnect with additional steam table pans.
It is still another aspect of the invention to provide a steam table pan that is easily removed from the holes in the steam table.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a steam table pan that does not rest flush against the surface of the steam table.
These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings.